Tag: Organization

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Spring Cleaning

“Clear your clutter and enjoy the magic of a tidy home – and the calm, motivated mindset it can inspire.” – Marie Kondo

I don’t know about you, but the month of March gets me into the “spring cleaning” mindset. Putting away the snow boots, heavy coats, scarves and other winter-related items thrills me. What else thrills me this time of year? Looking for things I can discard, donate or for which I can find a new home. The month of March sparks a lot of creativity as well. I love to move things around and shake things up!

The inspiration for this blog came as I was composing an email to a dear friend of mine who is moving and needs help decluttering. She has so much on her plate these days, that she reached out to me to inquire if I could take a trip to see her and help her with the process. Since I will be unable to go due to travel plans, I told her I would email her some pointers and guidelines from one of my favorite books, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up – the Japanese Art of Decluterring and Organizing by Marie Kondo. What a gem! It’s the perfect book to declutter and tidy up “once and for all.”

So, as I was composing the list, I had an “aha” moment and decided that it would make for a perfect blog on spring cleaning. After all, March is all about clearing out, cleaning up from the winter and getting reading for spring (especially here in the northeast). As with any type of creative and inspirational project, I believe the key is to have fun doing so. Enjoying the process and the fruits of our labor is the name of the game. When all is said and done, we can sit back, take in the beauty we created and maybe even pop a bottle of bubbly to celebrate.

In an effort to not overwhelm, I only pulled specific tips and guidelines from the book:

Getting Started:

1. Visualize your destination
2. Vividly picture what it would be like to live in a clutter-free space
3. Tidy up / de-clutter / discard in the right order
3. Selection criterion: Does it spark Joy?
4. Choose what you want to keep not what you want to get rid of
5. Keep only those things that speak to your heart. Then take the plunge and discard  / donate all the rest.
6. Think in terms of category not place
7. Collect everything that fits within the same category at one time
8. Don’t let your family see
The BEST sequence is:
Clothes
Books
Papers
Miscellaneous
Mementos
CLOTHING: divide into sub-categories
Tops
Bottoms
Socks
Bags
Accessories
Clothes for specific events
Shoes
*Place every item of clothing on the floor, be sure to handle each one, and ask yourself “Does this spark Joy?”  If so, it’s a keeper!
BOOKS: divide into four broad categories
General (for reading pleasure)
Practical (references, cookbooks, etc)
Visual (photograph collection, etc)
Magazines
*The criterion is still of course whether or not it gives you a thrill of pleasure when you touch it
*Discard / donate books that you keep saying you will get to one day (because most likely you never will)
PAPERS: Dispose of anything that does NOT fall into one of these three categories:
1.currently in use
2. needed for a limited period of time
3. must be kept indefinitely
*All papers should be kept in one central place not scattered everywhere
*Discard all those pages you ripped out of a magazine (if you haven’t used it, you never will)
MISCELLANEOUS: here’s the sorting order
CDs/DVDs
Skin care products
Makeup
Accessories
Valuables (passports, credit cards, etc)
Electrical equipment and appliances (digital camera, electric cords, anything that seems vaguely electric)
Household equipment (stationary and writing materials, sewing kits, etc)
Household supplies (expendable like medicine, detergents, tissues, etc)
Kitchen goods / food supplies (spatulas,pots, pans, baking pans, blenders, etc)
Other (spare change, figurines, etc)
*Don’t keep things “just because” – these items too need to be handled and kept only if they bring you Joy
Other Misc items:
  • Gifts: many gifts remain unopened/unused/used once – thank it, thank the giver and discard / donate / pass on
  • Travel samples: we collect them yet never take them on trips – these only last a few weeks to maybe a year – discard/ donate
  • Electronics packages: you can always get help on-line or in the store – discard boxes/packages
  • Unidentified cords: will always remain a mystery- discard
  • Broken appliances: contact your local recycler and get rid of them
  • Extra bedding: yes we need some extra bedding but don’t stockpile or hold onto if soiled, mildewed or have no use for
  • Spare buttons: in most cases no one replaces buttons – if it’s a special garment/coat sew the extra button inside if it
  • Products from the latest health craze: if you’re not actively using them, thank them and discard/donate
  • Free novelty goods: None of these are going to bring you any pleasure – discard them / donate without any qualm
  • Small change: coins are stripped of their dignity when left to just waste away-use your coins – adopt the motto “into my wallet” or put them in a jar/piggy bank and cash them in every now and then
  • Sentimental items: no matter how wonderful things used to be we cannot live in the past – the joy we feel here and now is more important – sort through the keepsakes and discard/donate/give away – the space we live in should be for the person we are becoming now not the person we were in the past
  • Photos: do NOT put them in a box to “someday enjoy”- it doesn’t happen – keep the ones that inspire joy – keep your photos in albums – discard photos/albums from your past that you never look at
DESIGNATE A PLACE FOR EACH THING: 
This is a routine to follow every day, and you will avoid seeing clutter all over the place. The point in deciding specific places to keep things is to designate a spot for EVERY THING.
STORAGE: two rules
1. Store all items of the same kind in the same place
2. Don’t scatter storage space
*If you live with your family first clearly define separate storage spaces for each family member
“Clutter is caused by a failure to return things to where they belong. Therefore, storage should reduce the effort needed to put things away, not the effort needed to get them out. 
You should arrange a room / storage space so you can tell at a glance where everything is than to worry about the details of who does what, where and when.”
Marie Kondo’s magical little book is simple and very clearly understood. It really cuts to the chase, and it also identifies pitfalls that trip us up and keep us stuck. That is why it’s so important to adhere to her process. The process is truly transformational and will not only declutter and organize your personal sanctuary, but it will do wonders for your mind and spirit! There’s a whole lot more content in the book that is valuable and practical, so check it out! Needless to say, this book also makes for a delightful gift.
Happy Spring Cleaning my darlings!
Inhale love & light…Exhale grace and gratitude, JTC
 
 
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One Year = 365 Opportunities

“Every day is a fashion show and the world is the Runway” Coco Chanel

Have you ever stood in front of your closet (a pretty packed closet) and felt baffled as to what to wear? Well, according to my mother, it’s because we have too many choices. Over the years, I really started to believe that for myself despite the constant purging and giving away of clothing I’d find myself doing over and over. I’ve gotten to the point where if I buy an article of clothing, some other piece has to go. However, this doesn’t stop me from still standing in front of the closet though. Let’s be real now, when this happens to us, how many times do we end up reaching for the same thing? How infuriating to say the least!

Well, part of my “approach” to this new year is that I am going to channel my inner Goddess and play dress up every day.  So far, so good. Then again, it’s only been 3 days since my birthday. You see, my entire style and approach to fashion has morphed since I stopped working. I went from stylish power suits in every color, design and texture, dresses, jackets and the highest of heels etc., to yoga and work out clothes, sneakers, fun sandals, furry boots and cowgirl boots (I put my own spin on how I wear and accessorize these items though). The “athleisurewear” industry is making a killing, don’t you agree? They are also making it easier and easier to skip “playing dress up” and opting for yummy, comfy clothing. Now don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with yummy, comfy clothing, but what about all those beautiful “to die for and must have” pants, dresses, skirts, sweaters, blouses, shirts, jackets, wraps and scarves we have invested in? And let’s not forget the shoes, boots, heels, handbags, jewelry, gloves, hats, belts and other accessories we’ve purchased to go with these “to die for and must have” items. Well, I know it’s only been 3 days, but I am making a commitment to myself to dress up – even if it’s to go grocery shopping. Yep, you heard me! I will leave yoga or the gym and, instead of going about my day, I will first stop home, shop my closet and accessorize away! I even have a support system – my friend Maureen and I have recently taken to sending each other pictures of our outfits every day. It’s actually quite fun!

The key to all this is to have a very well organized closet. I don’t know about you, but I love my closets and cabinets to look like a store. Organizing closets thrills me. It brings me joy! Let’s face it, there is nothing uglier and more frustrating than opening a closet and finding a disorganized mess everywhere. In my humble opinion, we should treat our belonging with respect and loving care. Ahhh, the feeling I get when I open a closet or drawers and everything is displayed as if it were a boutique! Talk about chills, thrills and vibrations!

Some of my friends like for me to come over periodically and help them with their closets. In an effort to help one “shop her closet” and stop buying (she’s still buying), we created an actual accessories boutique in one of her spare rooms. I can’t tell you how much fun that was! I wore down Ms. Yvonne and even got her to  put up a small chandelier in the room. That room is now complete with a nice comfy chair, 2 ottomans, a tray for cocktails, tea or coffee and a couple of  motivational / inspirational books. It’s a beautiful space for her to pause, collect her thoughts, sip some tea, look around and admire the beautiful items on display and put together the outfit of the day / evening. Creating sacred spaces is something I thoroughly enjoy doing (more on that topic some other time).

If your overall organization skills need help or your home is in need of major decluttering, then Marie Kondo’s book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing is the book for you. It’s fabulous! Trust me, this book takes the art of decluttering, organizing and tidying-up to another level. Marie Kondo gives us very specific and detailed guidelines to follow. And, when it comes to clothing and certain items, unless it “sparks joy” then it has no business being in our possession.

Darlings, we can be fashionable without spending tons of money. In addition to being organized, it only takes a little creativity and imagination or maybe even the help of a good shopping buddy (there’s nothing like a shopping partner in crime). Our sense of style evolves over time and with experience. If we have a fairly good sense of who we are and our self-confidence is in check, then half the battle is won. The other half is to be a master mixologist and play around with pairing things up a little differently. My latest inspiration and style obsession is this woman Shauna. You can check her out on Instagram @ Chicover50.

What we wear or don’t wear and how we carry ourselves speaks volumes! We have 365 days a year to make wise, as well as entertaining, fashion-sense decisions that have the power to lift us up or drag us down. The use of color is also instrumental in determining our moods and the impact it has on others around us. Furthermore, our choice of clothing can inspire and motivate all on their own even before we open our mouthes to speak. So, over the next 362 days, I want to have fun playing dress up. There are so many occasions and opportunities to treat the world as our own Personal Runway, so why not make each day a fashion show? Let’s allow the Goddess in us come out and play more often! Just saying”….wink, wink.

What is inspiring your sense of style these days? Remember, presentation, presentation, presentation…. be your own style icon and accessorize away!

Inhale Love…Exhale Gratitude, JTC